Persian Caravanserai Iran’s UNESCO world heritage site Introduction The Persian Caravanserai is one of the recent Iranian UNESCO world heritage sites to be inscribed on the new list of world heritage sites on September 2023. Iran now has 27 UNESCO-listed historical sites, including 54 Iranian Caravanserais located all over the country. Iran belongs on the list of the top 10 countries which have the most world heritage sites. Persian Caravanserai history The earliest caravanserais in Iran were built during the Achaemenid era (550 - 330 BC). Centuries later, when Shah Abbas I assumed power from 1588 to 1629, he ordered the construction of a network of caravanserais across the country. Such roadside inns were once constructed along ancient caravan routes in the Muslim world to shelter people, their goods, and animals. The former Silk Road may well have the most famous examples of caravanserais dotted along the route. Persian Caravanserai usages The Persian Caravanserai, where a lot of historical monuments were discovered in Iran, represent the way of travelling in desert regions before modern roads and railways existed. Caravanserais were roadside inns, providing shelter, food and water for caravans, pilgrims and other travellers. The routes and the locations of the caravanserais were determined by the presence of water, geographical conditions and security concerns. Connection of Caravanserai with the Silk Road The Caravanserai were built as road stations along trade routes, (such as the Silk Road), and pilgrimage routes. Their design evolved over the centuries, from the Sassanian to the Qajar period, which also varied due to the geographic setting. Meaning of the caravanserai and the architecture Caravanserai or caravansary is a compound word combining “caravan” with “sara”; CARAVAN stands for a group of travellers and SARA means the building and place to rest. They often
Persian Caravanserai Iran’s UNESCO world heritage site Introduction The Persian Caravanserai is one of the recent Iranian UNESCO world heritage sites to be inscribed on the new list of world heritage sites on September 2023. Iran now has 27 UNESCO-listed historical sites, including 54 Iranian Caravanserais located all over the country. Iran belongs on the
7 Most Famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iran Iran has 27 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as of September 2023, 25 of which are cultural and 2 are natural. The first UNESCO site in Iran, Tchogha Zanbil, was registered in 1979. The latest registered sites is the Persian Caravanserai, registered in September 2023 and the Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat, registered in June 2021. These 27 Iranian UNESCO sites are located throughout Iran, 7 of which are situated along the Iran Classic Tourism route. The Iran Classic route crosses through 5 main tourist destinations which are Tehran, Kashan, Esfahan, Yazd, and Shiraz. Most travelers start this route in Tehran as the majority of international flights land in the capital, although a minority of visitors commence their trip from Shiraz. There are also a few other international airports in Iran as well as the option of joining up from areas along Iran’s borders which may be suitable for some travelers. Most of Iran’s first-timers usually like to visit the main travel destinations located along Iran’s Classic route. Below is a list of main UNESCO sites on the Classic route in Iran: 1. Golestan Palace, (2013), Tehran 2. Jame Mosque, (2012), Esfahan (Masjed-e Jame) 3. Naqsh-e Jahan Square, (1979), Esfahan (Meidan Emam) 4. The Historic City of Yazd, (2017) 5. Pasargadae, (2004), Sa’adat Shahr in Fars province, (140 km north of Shiraz) 6. Persepolis, (1979), Marvdasht in Fars province, (60 km north of Shiraz) 7. The Persian Gardens (2011): Ancient Garden of Pasargadae (140 km north of Shiraz), Bagh-e Eram (Shiraz), Bagh-e Chehel Sotun (Esfahan), Bagh-e Fin (Kashan), Bagh-e Dolat Abad (Yazd) UNESCO registered 9 different Persian Gardens scattered throughout the country. Five of these gardens are on the Classic Route as mentioned in the last item on the above list. During
7 Most Famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iran Iran has 27 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as of September 2023, 25 of which are cultural and 2 are natural. The first UNESCO site in Iran, Tchogha Zanbil, was registered in 1979. The latest registered sites is the Persian Caravanserai, registered in September 2023 and
Persian Caravanserais Inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List The Persian Caravanserais, designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, stand as enduring testaments to the rich history and cultural significance of Iran's ancient trade routes. These architectural marvels served as vital hubs along the Silk Road, facilitating trade and commerce between the East and West for centuries. Built during the Safavid and Qajar periods, Persian caravanserais were strategically located along major trade routes, providing shelter, sustenance, and security to merchants, travelers, and their livestock. These expansive complexes typically featured a central courtyard surrounded by covered passageways, stables, lodging quarters, and amenities such as baths, mosques, and markets. The design of Persian caravanserais reflected the ingenuity of their creators, with sturdy walls, domed ceilings, and intricate tilework that showcased the artistic prowess of Iran's craftsmen. Despite their utilitarian function, these structures exuded a sense of grandeur and hospitality, offering weary travelers a respite from the rigors of the road. Today, many Persian caravanserais have been restored and repurposed for modern use, serving as cultural centers, museums, and boutique hotels that provide visitors with a glimpse into Iran's rich past. By preserving these historic landmarks, UNESCO honors the legacy of the Silk Road and celebrates the enduring spirit of cross-cultural exchange and cooperation that defined this ancient trade network. https://www.adventureiran.com/the-silk-road-in-iran-and-the-persian-caravanserai/ https://www.adventureiran.com/top-persian-caravanserais-stay-iran/
Persian Caravanserais Inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List The Persian Caravanserais, designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, stand as enduring testaments to the rich history and cultural significance of Iran’s ancient trade routes. These architectural marvels served as vital hubs along the Silk Road, facilitating trade and commerce between the East and West
Ten Useful Tips for Traveling to Iran As one of the ancient cradles of civilization, Iran is a vast country embracing various climatic conditions, ethnic groups, and cultures. The variety in attractions, landscapes, traditions, customs, and activities is so amazing that may make you bewildered. If you wish to travel to Iran for the first time or you are a tour operator thinking about adding Iran as a destination to your tour list, there might be a long list of different topics that you have to know before preparing your travel itinerary to Iran. There may also be many questions in your mind, and sometimes it is hard to find the right answer or source of information altogether. So, you had better know about some useful tips before traveling to Iran. Questions about how to get an Iran visa, when is the best time for traveling to Iran, what to visit in Iran, how to wear as a female traveler in Iran, and how and where to exchange currency in Iran are some of the questions that come first to the first-time travelers’ minds. In this travel advice and post, we create the most popular topics that you have to know to lead you through a good path for preparing your package for this authentic traveling destination. Here read about the ten essential tips for traveling to Iran: 1. Visa Information 2. Covid Latest Information and Travel Requirements 3. Iran Weather and Climate for Traveling 4. Iran Best Tourist Destinations 5. Iran’s Most Famous UNESCO Sites for Visit 6. Classic Iran – Famous Traveling Route for First Visitors: 7. Best Time to Visit Iran 8. Best Traveling Time for Different Activities 9. Dress Code 10. Iran Currency (Iranian Rials) If you do
Ten Useful Tips for Traveling to Iran As one of the ancient cradles of civilization, Iran is a vast country embracing various climatic conditions, ethnic groups, and cultures. The variety in attractions, landscapes, traditions, customs, and activities is so amazing that may make you bewildered. If you wish to travel to Iran for the first
Iran Top 10 Off the Beaten Paths You Should Visit! Iran is a vast country with a wealth of impressive tourist attractions. You will be amazed at the long list of famous destinations on the Classical Route of Iran, the UNESCO world heritage sites, the most famous Off the Beaten Track villages, and the most famous tourist villages of Iran. But you may still wish to add other exciting destinations to your Iran Adventure tour. Iran off the beaten paths could be the best option if you are interested in a thrilling adventure. Iran offers many untraveled routes for explorers around the world. You may not know much about these paths, but they are filled with cultural and natural attractions, scenic sceneries, and the potential for lots of exhilarating activities such as photography, biking, mounting, and trekking, as well as boating and other sea activities. Since these off the Beaten Paths are scattered in various districts with different climatic conditions, the time of the visit varies in different seasons or months. Traveling through these paths, you will enjoy an authentic experience of less-known parts of Iran. Besides picturesque landscapes in different seasons, as well as cultural, historical, and even ancient sites, you will have the opportunity to socialize with rural people whose hospitality is well-known among all tourists who traveled to these Off the Beaten Paths of Iran. Here is a list of Iran's top 10 Off the Beaten Paths you should visit during your Iran’s tailor-made journey: 1. Shush (Susa), Khuzestan Province 2. Minab town, Hormozgan Province 3. Savadkuh County, Mazandaran Province 4. Kong port, Bandar Abbas, Persian Gulf 5. Anzali Lagoon & villages around, Gilan Province, Caspian Sea 6. Siraf port, Bushehr Province, Persian Gulf 7. Chabahar port, Sistan and Baluchistan
Iran Top 10 Off the Beaten Paths You Should Visit! Iran is a vast country with a wealth of impressive tourist attractions. You will be amazed at the long list of famous destinations on the Classical Route of Iran, the UNESCO world heritage sites, the most famous Off the Beaten Track villages, and the most
Iran 5 Best Touristic Destinations In this article, you can read about Iran best touristic destinations and all the activities you can do in them in detail. These tourist cities are in the most popular travel itinerary of travellers during the spring season and is on the Best Iran Tours list. Iran, with 27 UNESCO world heritage sites, (as of September 2023), is the tenth country in the world with regard to the number of such sites. Contrary to the perception of many tourists who haven’t read about Iran, it’s too much to even see its major highlights in a month. For this reason, most travelers prefer to make the main touristic cities of the country their main priority which includes Tehran, Kashan, Esfahan, Yazd, and Shiraz. Also, Lonely Planet’s travel guide book, which is a reference for many travelers, has chosen these cities for Iran’s first-time visitors. Also, Lonely Planet uses the term “CLASSIC” to describe a short travel itinerary for each country where travelers wish to visit a famous site. CLASSIC IRAN route is an overland journey that includes the main 5 urban tourist destinations of Tehran, Kashan, Esfahan, Yazd, and Shiraz with 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites along with a couple of other attractions on the route. You need two weeks to visit these 5 major cities but depending on the holiday time you have available, the season of travel and your interests, you may want to extend your visit to see more attractions or even if time is a problem, make it shorter. Along with the historical and cultural attractions of this major cities, this route is one of the most popular tourist routes in Iran for photography trip. An example trip for photography in this direction is Iran's classic photography Trip. It’s necessary to
Iran 5 Best Touristic Destinations In this article, you can read about Iran best touristic destinations and all the activities you can do in them in detail. These tourist cities are in the most popular travel itinerary of travellers during the spring season and is on the Best Iran Tours list. Iran, with 27 UNESCO
South West of Iran The video is about a special expedition journey to south west of Iran with Adventure Iran colleagues who came from France. They had two intensive weeks starting from the capital and after having cooking classes in Tehran, took a first class night train to Shiraz. Our guests have been to Iran before and they explored Iran Classic destinations, So on this trip they visited some unexplored parts of Shiraz and had another cooking class to learn Shirazian Traditional foods. From there they continued their journey towards Bishapur which was an ancient city in Sassanid Persia and the Ruins of Shapour Palace. The ruins and the site were registered on the list of UNESCO sites in 2018, and then continued towards Bushehr which is one of the unreachable Off the Beaten Tracks in Iran and spent a couple of nights there. The fish market, old Bazaar and historical part of the town with exceptional architecture are the most attractive parts of the city that needed to be visited. They continued the trip through the coastal road towards the west and visited a lot of attractions on their way to Genaveh. The amazing view of the Persian Gulf, the date trees and Siraaf town (Iran’s historical sea port) were some of the places they saw. In Genaveh they had a boat trip through the sea port and saw a couple of old boats which were for fishing and the old fresh market is one of the must see in this region. They also had an unforgettable trek through a canyon near the beach which was superb as it had an amazing view of the sunset on the Persian Gulf. With a night bus towards Ahvaz and a short ride they reached Shooshtar which is famous for
South West of Iran The video is about a special expedition journey to south west of Iran with Adventure Iran colleagues who came from France. They had two intensive weeks starting from the capital and after having cooking classes in Tehran, took a first class night train to Shiraz. Our guests have been to Iran
Iranian UNESCO Site of Hawraman (Uramanat) Hawraman (or Uramanat) is the name of a historical valley located in the mountains shared between the two provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah in the west of Iran. Uraman is the Kurdish word for Hawraman which is pronounced Huraaman. Generally, in different parts of Iran, it is called Uraman, Uraaman, or Avroman. It means the land of Ahura Mazda (the supreme god in ancient Iranian religion) in ancient Persian language. It is also the name of the mountainous region of Hawraman valley. In June 2021, The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the 26th tangible cultural heritage of Iran at the 44th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. This valley, unknown for many years, is one of the main natural/historical attractions of the west of Iran. Along with the long history of the region and Kurdish people, the valley has many villages which have unique stair-like architecture. The villages are special in the way the rural areas house many dense and step-like rows of accommodation in such a way that the roof of each house forms the yard of the upper one, making it an exceptional sight to see. The rich culture of the Hawramani people which is famous for their hospitality is one of the other attractions of Uramanat and makes this destination different from other regions. Since 3000 BCE Kurdish tribes have inhabited the region and lived on the economy based on agro-pastoral activities in this valley. Kurdish people are famous for being the tough guys and they are used to live and survive in the mountains for many years. Hawraman or Uramanat is in the heart of the Zagros Mountains range, one of the two main mountain ranges of Iran, where
Iranian UNESCO Site of Hawraman (Uramanat) Hawraman (or Uramanat) is the name of a historical valley located in the mountains shared between the two provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah in the west of Iran. Uraman is the Kurdish word for Hawraman which is pronounced Huraaman. Generally, in different parts of Iran, it is called
Trans-Iranian Railway 25th Iranian UNESCO World Heritage site (Reg. June 2021) One of the forgotten tourist attractions in Iran was traveling by train and passing through scenic areas with different climates and spectacular sceneries. Thanks to joining the UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2021 with the help of Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization, it can be brought back to life. Iran has many routes on its railway lines, with each of them having different historical, cultural, and tourism aspects, connecting all cities and villages of this vast country differently. One of the lines that is of great global importance is the Trans-Iranian Railway which is the northeast to the southwest line connecting the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf. The length of this long railway is about 1,394 km, which is one of the most strategic railways in Iran, passing through four completely different climatic regions, including the Caspian Sea, the huge forests of Hyrcanian (UNESCO Natural site), Iran Mountain ranges (Alborz and Zagros ranges), rivers, highlands, plains and a desert (Dasht-e Kavir), Persian Caravanserai in the Ancient Silk Road and ending in the Persian Gulf which is a totally different story from all of the mentioned climates. Along with this climate change, the diversity of ethnicities, cultures, customs, traditions, and languages of all these regions are highlights of this long route, especially for travelers who are interested in getting in touch with the locals and curious about new cultures and lifestyles. The Trans-Iranian railways construction started in 1927 and ended in 1938. It is famous for its vastness and the workmanship required to overcome the difficulties along the way. It was a joint work between the Iranians and 43 contractors from all around the world. They made about 174 large bridges, 224 tunnels (and 11 spiral tunnels), and
Trans-Iranian Railway 25th Iranian UNESCO World Heritage site (Reg. June 2021) One of the forgotten tourist attractions in Iran was traveling by train and passing through scenic areas with different climates and spectacular sceneries. Thanks to joining the UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2021 with the help of Iran’s Cultural Heritage Organization, it can
Two New UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Iran (25 June 2021) Since 1978, every year, UNESCO picks a number of World Heritage Sites for their "outstanding universal value" in the two sections of cultural and natural sites. This year in June 2021, UNESCO has picked two Iran Heritage Sites for the list alongside others from around the world. In 2021, 37 new sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and it was a big week for Iran with two historic sites achieving UNESCO status. Iran UNESCO World Heritage Sites registered in 2021: 1. Iran UNESCO Heritage of Trans-Iranian Railway Iran Railway The first site is an old and long Railway in Iran from the southwest of the country to the northeast of it. This masterwork of engineering covers 1,394 kilometers, from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf, and goes through 4 different climate regions and two mountain ranges (Alborz & Zagros), Tehran (Capital), Hyrcanian Forests, and Iran plateau, that are home to people from various ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. The railway is now the 25th Iranian title on the World Heritage List. That makes the country one of the richest in the world in terms of protecting cultural heritage. With this new UNESCO site, Iran becomes the fifth country in the world with a railway designated as a world heritage site. The name of this famous North-South Railway is Rah-Ahan Shomal-Jonub in Persian. It was completed in 1938, after 11 years of construction, which involved massive works on mountains and terrains up and down the country. 2. Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat The second UNESCO site is Hawraman cultural landscape which is the 26th Iranian UNESCO World Heritage site. Hawraman is located in the Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces of Iran, on the western border
Two New UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Iran (25 June 2021) Since 1978, every year, UNESCO picks a number of World Heritage Sites for their “outstanding universal value” in the two sections of cultural and natural sites. This year in June 2021, UNESCO has picked two Iran Heritage Sites for the list alongside others from
